1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of tele-communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and a method for retrieving voice messages from a network voice message system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional network voice mail system, or network voice messaging system, records messages at a facility connected to a telecommunications network for subscribers who are unavailable for answering a telephone call. A subscriber retrieves messages by calling a telephone number associated with the network voice message system to access the messaging system. The subscriber then enters identification information, and sends control commands into the system using the keys of a standard telephone keypad.
As another approach for retrieving messages and controlling a voice messaging service, U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,156 to Blair discloses a cellular telephone that automatically initiates a connection to a network voice mail system when the telephone is powered on. The cellular telephone automatically dials the telephone number of the voice mail system and sends user identifying information upon connection with the messaging system. Upon verification of the identifying information, the user conducts a conventional voice mail session for retrieving messages using the keys of a standard telephone keypad.
Other techniques for providing voice messaging-type services also exist. For example, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,976 to Helferich et al. discloses a cellular telephone that records voice messages in a memory in the cellular telephone when the telephone user is unavailable for answering a call. After a predetermined number of rings, the voice messaging circuitry within the telephone is activated for digitally recording a message in the memory of the cellular telephone so that the user can retrieve the message at a later time. According to Helferich et al., a voice mail message can be stored initially at a network voice mail system when the telephone user is unavailable for answering a call. The voice mail message is then transmitted to the memory of the cellular telephone at a later time using a high transmission rate, thereby reducing the air transmission time. This approach requires that the cellular telephone have sufficient memory for recording a useful amount of messages, thus making the cellular telephone more expensive for a user. Additionally, a user keys in an identification number using a standard telephone keypad to listen to a message recorded in he memory.
The conventional approach of retrieving messages and controlling remotely located voice messaging systems by using a standard telephone keypad is inconvenient because a user must interface with a network voice messaging system using a standard telephone keypad, while listening to an audible message providing a list of commands and/or system functions in a menu-type format.
The present invention provides a communication device having a convenient interface for controlling a remotely located voice messaging system. According to the invention, the communication device includes a keypad having function keys for controlling the network voice messaging system. The function keys include keys for listening to a message, fast forwarding through a message, rewinding a message, skipping a message, playing a previous message, and deleting a message, for example. A speed dial key can be included with the present invention for conveniently initiating access to the remote voice messaging system. In addition to providing a convenient interface to a network voice messaging system, the device of the present invention may also function as a conventional wireless telephone and/or voice paging device.